The Trick is to Keep Breathing
by LastDayOfMagic
Summary: A short sequel to Battle In Me that a few of you requested after the epilogue. This will probably be about 5 chapters long.
1. Chapter 1

The phone rang as Elena watched a three-year-old blonde pigtailed tornado whirl around her living room. She darted into the kitchen to answer it and sped back, not daring to turn an eye away from Sarah for more than a few seconds. She was normally cherubic, but clearly the handful of M&amp;Ms as a before lunch "treat" weren't the best idea. Sugar had made her almost too fast for Elena's vampire eyes to track, and she could only imagine what Elijah's reaction would be when he got back with the pizza.

"Hello, Bon," she said distractedly.

"Hey... do you have a second? I'm on my lunch break and I have some news for you."

"Kind of?" She covered the mouthpiece, whispering to Sarah. "C'mon, sweetheart, let's watch Bubble Guppies." She patted the couch and the little girl's enormous blue eyes lit up as she scrambled into Elena's lap. "Okay, yeah. I forgot how potent even just a dash of sugar is for kids."

"Aw, is Sarah there?" She could hear the smile in Bonnie's voice. The witch had become a third honorary auntie in the child's life, since she and Rebekah had forged a friendship. Bonnie was another mentor to the former Original, and it was an interesting bond since Bonnie was descended from Esther's best friend.

"She sure is. Rebekah and David are at some coven workshop thing today. They could have brought her along, but we offered to take her so they could enjoy themselves and concentrate."

"Yeah, I bet she would've been bored after an hour or two."

"Probably. Though it is her heritage," Elena sighed, absently rolling a blonde baby curl through her fingers. "She might be some kind of prodigy for all we know."

"God, I hope not," Bonnie exclaimed. "She needs to enjoy being a kid. I think we dealt with more than enough crazy in our time to cut her some slack."

"Yeah, right?" Elena chuckled. "Seriously, it's only been a few years but it seems like a lifetime ago."

"I'll take peaceful any day. You can't tell me you miss all of the constant danger."

"No, not even a little bit. I just... miss the people we lost along the way." She bit at the inside of her lip as she tried to push away thoughts of her brother and aunt, and Ric. Sarah must have sensed the sorrow rising in her chest, and she leaned back, thumb in her mouth, causing Elena's heart to ache in a completely different way. "It's weird to think I might not see any of them again."

"Especially if you do manage to live forever." Bonnie sighed on the other end of the line, and they were both quiet.

That thought still managed to punch her in the gut when she dwelled on it for too long, an endless loop of what-if's and the terrifying unknown. Forever. Such a strange concept. One that she didn't worry about as a human, even in the face of a neverending afterlife, because at least she wouldn't be alone. But now, as a mostly-immortal being... both life and death struck her with similar worry. She didn't want to face the day when she outlived everyone human that she loved, but she also didn't know if she would find an afterlife if she died as a vampire. Regardless, it wasn't something she could discuss with a child present. Most of it would go over her head, but what didn't would probably give her nightmares.

"A subject for another day," Elena declared, adding some superficial brightness to her tone. "What did you need to talk about?"

"Well," Bonnie began before pausing again, and Elena could sense her nervous energy. "I found old Bennett grimoires while I was cleaning out Grams' house to sell. Or, I guess they found me."

"Really?" A chill ran down her spine, as she knew firsthand the disquiet of the dead all too well. Especially witches.

"Yeah. This one room... it just wouldn't cooperate. Circuits kept tripping, light bulbs would blow out right after being replaced. They weren't going to let me put the house on the market with any secrets left inside."

"Where were they?" Elena shifted away from the couch now, seeing her opportunity at Sarah's preoccupation with the TV. Her young niece didn't even glance up, and she stole into the kitchen to set out the plates and napkins for lunch. Elijah would be back any second.

"Tucked inside the wall in the closet. If you held a flashlight just right, you could see a ripple in the plaster behind the wallpaper. I bet Grams didn't even know they were there. But there was a piece of wood fairly flush with the rest of the wall, and when I pulled it away they all fell out. Six more."

"Wow. That's a lot of undiscovered magic."

"Yeah," Bonnie sighed. "A bunch of new spells to go through, along with a wall to repair. But at least the unexplained electrical issues resolved themselves."

"That's a relief!"

"I know. I was _this close _to just giving up and moving into the house myself. But it was worth it... I'm about halfway through the grimoires, and I found some interesting stuff." Bonnie cleared her throat. "Particularly interesting for you. And Elijah."

Elena stopped in the middle of the kitchen, cups in hand as her senses began to tingle. She almost knew what was coming next, but she was wary of getting her hopes up. "What do you mean...?"

"I think I've finally figured out how you can have a baby." Bonnie's voice quivered in anticipatory excitement, and Elena threw a hand over her mouth to muffle her shocked sob.

"Oh, my God," she breathed. "Oh, my God - Bonnie!"

Of course Elijah stepped through the kitchen door at that very moment - he of the most impeccable timing, always. He stopped once he noticed the tears in Elena's eyes. "Are you alright?" he murmured, mindful of the phone in her hand. She nodded silently, and once he'd placed the pizza box on the island, he laid a supportive hand along the small of her back.

"When can you come over? When can we figure this out?" she rambled.

Her mind was racing, and although it was half-insanity, she couldn't see any reason to wait. Waiting meant they might miss out on this opportunity, and there was nothing to hold them back.

"Tonight?" Bonnie offered. "After I finish my shift today, and once Sarah's gone home. It's a little involved and we definitely need to concentrate."

"Of course - whatever it takes. God, thank you - _thank you."_

"It's no problem at all. I know how much you guys have wanted this," Bonnie said, her warm smile audible. "I'll see you later."

"Sounds good! Bye."

Elena set the phone on the counter and ran shaky hands over her face. Elijah watched her, finally raising an eyebrow when she remained silent longer than he could bear waiting - she felt as though she was ready to vibrate out of her skin.

She drew in a deep breath, and then she couldn't stop a wide grin from breaking out over her face. "Bonnie found a way for us to have a baby!"

He blinked a few times, but his eyes glimmered with anticipation, a faint smile ready to follow. "Are you serious?"

She giggled. "I'm so serious - oh my God, Elijah! I can't believe it's actually going to happen!" She threw her arms around him and their mouths met. His hands rested at her waist, and she relaxed into their kiss, allowing it ground her. "Mmmmm," she breathed as she pulled away, eyes slightly dazed as she stared into his beautiful face.

"So we're going to have a child. _Our_ child," he mused, his hands running along her back, his gaze intimate. Elena smiled softly. He opened his mouth to speak again, and then he just chuckled. "I'm speechless. It's surreal."

"I know. There's so much to consider, especially given our... condition. But I don't even care - I just want this."

"So do I." His smile shifted into a smirk as he leaned in, but a curious voice interrupted them.

"Aunt 'Lena?"

Elena glanced over Elijah's shoulder, down to the miniature version of Rebekah staring up at her. He buried his face against her neck to hide his grin, apparently amused that they were nearly caught in an act of PDA. She playfully swatted his arm before she pulled free. Then she lifted Sarah up onto her hip. "What's up, peanut?"

"Is the food ready yet? Neema was making a pizza pie on the show and now I'm hungry!"

"Like this?" Elijah asked, opening the box. Sarah's eyes widened at the sight of the pepperoni pizza, and the smell of the cheese and sauce was enough to make Elena's stomach growl.

"Just like that!" she exclaimed.

They both smiled at her innocent glee. Elena couldn't help imagining future days like this with their own child as she wrangled her into her booster seat. Yes, it was quiet and maybe a little mundane - definitely not glamorous - but her life would feel full, much like it did when she spent time with Sarah. And there was a certain peace in Elijah whenever he was around children. He was content. She'd noticed it many times over the years they'd been together, that it was different than the moments they shared between them. He was almost enlightened by their innocence. It always left her with a deep pang od sadness that she couldn't give him a child of their own.

But now, she would.

Several hours later, when their house was quiet again, they waited for Bonnie. Elena stood from the chair where she had sat, now anxiously pacing. Elijah let her make a few trails back and forth before finally catching her hand and pulling her onto his lap.

"Don't fret," he soothed, kissing her hand.

"It's just that she said it's involved, and I can't stop my mind from running with the different scenarios." Her fingers ran over the navy v-neck sweater he wore, the soft texture over his lean muscle proving to be a welcome distraction. She raised her eyes to meet his and he cupped the side of her face. "It's not meant to be easy, though. Right? Nothing worthwhile ever is."

He leaned forward enough so that his lips pressed against hers, just to sway her mind a little, make her thoughts redirect. "Right," he agreed softly, the edge to his low voice setting her lust alight. "And we will face this together, as we always have."

She allowed herself to find solace in his reassurance, even though she was still filled with the mix of giddiness and terror. What if she was an awful mom? What if this meant bringing some strange hybrid child forth? Was that selfish, to accidentally create an abomination? Or what if the baby was a completely ordinary human? Was she going to outlive her child? Could she stomach that?

Elijah's thumb running over her knuckles drew her out of the endless cycle of worry. They were in this together. These were the questions she would ask him at 3am when she couldn't sleep, with their child growing inside of her. She gave him a fluttery smile. Despite any fear, they needed this - their child.

The doorbell signaled Bonnie's arrival, and Elena peeled herself from Elijah's lap to let her in.


	2. Chapter 2

Bonnie glanced between Elijah and Elena, both vampires fixated on her as they subconsciously perched at the edge of their seats. "I feel like I'm sitting opposite of the Inquisition. You guys are really anxious to hear all about this, huh?"

Elijah chuckled, leaning back against the sofa cushions after he took notice of his eager stance. Elena settled into his arm with an embarrassed grin. "Sorry," she said. "We didn't mean to overwhelm you!"

"I suppose we're a little preoccupied with this idea," Elijah agreed.

"I'm just teasing. I'm excited for it to finally happen!" She smiled wistfully. "And that I get to be a part of it. It's almost like it was meant to be."

Elena blinked hard. She couldn't help being so emotional about it, and this was only the beginning. She waved her hand in front of her, looking at the ceiling to will the tears back where they belonged. "Sorry," she said again as Elijah rubbed along her back. "So... how is this going to work?"

"Well, these grimoires have some of the most experimental, forward-thinking magic I've seen yet. One was about reanimating the reproductive system of a witch who was unable to procreate before his or her death."

Elena's brows knit together and she glanced at Elijah.

"It comes down to nature favoring witch bloodlines, since witches are the protectors of nature. And because Elijah is part of a witch bloodline... nature will bend, do anything it takes to preserve the witches. Even turning you into a human, Elena, so that you can grow this baby."

"Wait... I'll be human again?" Elena frowned. She didn't completely hate the idea except that it would bring her and Elijah back to square one... him as a vampire, her as a human. And now that they were married, there was no walking away. The years they had been together already just reinforced that she was meant to spend her life with him.

She could feel Elijah tense at the mention of the "h" word, too. They didn't discuss it much anymore, but he always wanted to ensure that she was happy, that she didn't regret the decision to turn. She knew that he carried guilt for not honoring Isobel's request to keep her human. But that life wasn't meant for them. And if it came down to choosing between Elijah or having a baby... she would still choose Elijah, every time.

"Not exactly," Bonnie answered. "You'll be kind of half and half, just temporarily. We'll suspend your vampire state by tying you to my witch bloodline."

"Oh!" Elena exclaimed. "So we'll be linked?"

Bonnie nodded. "For as long as you and the baby need. So say you choose to nurse... you'll be able to do that. But once you've gotten past that point, I will unlink us and you'll be back to your full vampire self."

"But will I still need to feed? And how am I supposed to deal with doctor's appointments?" The questions were coming into her mind as quickly as she was asking them, but she knew some of it was going to be a wait-and-see sort of situation. Considering this was uncharted territory... there was no way to have all of the answers ahead of time.

"Well, you'll look human on paper - or in a doctor's exam. And you won't need blood, just food. You won't be able to turn anyone, either - that's for the baby's sake. But you'll still be resilient so you won't have to worry about injuries. We need to do the linking spell tonight, though, so you're ready whenever you and Elijah decide."

Elena nodded, and they set to work. It was a pretty simple blood sharing ritual, forged in Latin. She didn't feel different afterward, but she suspected it might take a few days for the full weight of the spell to hit her. Still, she would be careful and test out the fact that she shouldn't need blood. That part would be a nice reprieve. Even though she craved blood, it was something she had difficulty reconciling to this day. She didn't enjoy harming people or stealing blood that could save human lives. Elijah had found a series of willing donors as a workaround in recent years after she pressed him about the ethics of their habits. And at the end of the day, she still needed to survive. But she would enjoy craving a burger rather than Type O on tap.

Right before she left, Bonnie pressed a necessary herb mixture into Elena's hand.

"This part is for Elijah - he can mix it with water or whatever he wants to drink. Whenever you guys are ready."

She smiled reassuringly in the dim light, calming the skepticism plaguing Elena's mind. Bonnie definitely trusted that they could do this - that it was not just okay for Elena and Elijah to procreate, but something that they _should_ do.

"Thanks, Bon." She pulled her best friend into a hug.

Once they were alone again, Elena looked at Elijah nervously. All of the components had fallen into place, just like that. After a lifetime of looking over her shoulder and holding her breath for things to turn out well, she couldn't help but feeling like the other shoe was going to drop.

But then he smiled, and relief washed over her. The worst thing that could happen was that this didn't work, and they would continue on as they had. It would still be a good life after they got over the disappointment, and they would still be together.

"So..." he said, sauntering closer until his hands were on her hips. He raised an eyebrow suggestively. She let out a breathy laugh when he nuzzled into her neck. "When should begin work on creating our baby?"

"Oh," she murmured. His blunt teeth nipped at her skin, and they distracted her as she tried to mentally work through the next ten months in her head. Was there anything important that a pregnancy would interfere with? She couldn't think of anything, nor did she really care. "Now?" she gasped.

"That sounds like an excellent proposition," he agreed.

He pulled the packet from her hand, and then he lifted her into his arms. He carried her into their bedroom and settled her onto the bed.

"Don't move," he warned, and the next moment she heard him in the bathroom filling a glass of water.

"Don't worry!" she called. She wasn't going anywhere.


	3. Chapter 3

_warning: lemons abound._

_oOo_

"No peeking."

Elijah was quick to catch her hand as she started to stand up. She groaned. It was two weeks after their designated tryst, the earliest that they could attempt a pregnancy test. Elena had been staring at her breasts everyday before she showered, trying to discern whether the faint blue-green trails of veins were any more prominent than usual. Or if her belly felt any more bloated... was she pregnant, or was it the chili dogs she had devoured the night before? And could Elijah hear a second, super faint heartbeat yet? Could his Original vampire hearing sense that? Maybe she smelled different? Did he notice any possible hormone influx? She was driving herself crazy, but she wanted to know. So once day number 14 rolled around, she went out and bought the most accurate test on the drugstore shelf. The next morning, as soon as she woke up, she peed on the stick. And now they waited.

"It hasn't been five minutes yet?" Elena asked. But she plopped back down next to him on the bed reluctantly.

He grinned, cupping her face in his hands and gently pressing his lips against hers for a moment. "Must I distract you? Though we'd be occupied for more than five minutes."

She giggled at the glint in his eyes. "Maybe afterward...?"

"Just remember that you offered." He leaned in again, this time his kiss lingering. She kissed him back, their mouths taking turns catching the other's, his tongue trailing over her lower lip. He moved so that he had her on her back and he was above her. She gasped as his mouth traveled down her neck, then her sternum, stopping at the low V of her t-shirt. She arched her back at him, wordlessly telling him not to stop. He pressed his knee against her center and she whimpered.

"Or maybe I could just satisfy you," he suggested.

"You think you can succeed in five... now four... minutes?" she asked breathlessly, squirming as he slowly rubbed his knee against the seam of her pants.

"I'm always up for a challenge, Elena... don't tempt me." He smirked and her eyelids fluttered as he pulled her pajama shorts off of her. She could hardly wait.

His fingers pressed against her entrance and he groaned. "You're already so wet." She rolled her hips against his hand, and she was rewarded with his thumb massaging her clit. She hummed at the sensation, the pad of his thumb teasing into the hood and directly against the most sensitive part.

"Please... Elijah...unhhhh..." Her eyes rolled back as she focused on the sensation and felt him add another finger to pump in and out of her. "God that's so good..."

"Three minutes," he whispered, his mouth next to her ear again. His tongue laved along her neck and traced over her carotid slowly. A thin sheen of perspiration had formed along her hairline at his ministrations, the burn building in her belly and her hot core. His fingers were curling along her inner walls in an attempt to pull a strong orgasm from her. He was looking for that elusive spot... and she was panting beneath him.

Next thing she knew, his fingers were gone and replaced by his tongue. Her heart was pounding. She bucked against his face, feeling the fluid run out of her as she got closer to the edge. "Elijah, please... I need you..."

"Two minutes," he groaned as he stood up long enough to unfasten his buckle.

"Yessss," she hissed when she finally felt him slide his hard length into her. She grabbed onto his hips to force him to slam into her. "Harder," she begged. She slid a hand in between them to rub at her clit, and he quickly obliged.

"One... minute..." he panted, and she pulled his mouth down onto hers as she started to come, moaning against his lips. She felt like she was going to pass out as the spasms rocked her from within. It felt so, so good.

"Fuck," she groaned. "Oh God, I'm coming again..."

He grabbed onto the headboard with one hand to brace himself and focused his efforts into slamming into her as she cried out beneath him. She was overly sensitive, and now he was coming too. But she needed that sweet final release, and she could feel her reward on its way as he thrust in as deeply as he could. She was still pushing back against him, and she could tell he was too sensitive to ride her out. His fingers replaced his cock and she grunted out the last of her orgasms, twitching around them and clamping down.

"Oh, God," she groaned as she collapsed back on the pillows, a heap of sweat and bodily fluids. "That was so good... oh..."

Elijah smiled devilishly as he propped himself up on an arm next to her, his hand still between her legs and his fingers running leisurely over her slit. He elicited little gasps every so often but she wasn't sure she could come again, yet. "The time is up," he announced softly. He withdrew his hand and patted the side of her thigh before he sat up.

Her legs were like jelly but she needed to know. She was thankful for his (delicious) distraction because she wasn't nearly as anxious as she was before. He took her hand and they walked into the bathroom together.

"Ready?" she asked.

"Never moreso," he answered.

She pulled the test down from the high shelf, where she'd hidden it from both their eyes. She finally looked.

Two pink lines.

"Is that... a positive?" Elijah asked, the playful tone gone from his voice. He looked like he'd absorbed her earlier nervousness and was now reflecting it back at her.

She couldn't talk for fear of bursting into tears the second she opened her mouth, so she only nodded.

His eyes were glassy as he pulled her into his arms, their lips meeting again, this time a sweet passion rather than lust. She giggled against his mouth, smiling once they parted but their foreheads remained touching.

"I can't believe it," she murmured. "Finally."

He grinned, and she etched this moment into her memory... it was the happiest she had ever seen him. "Finally," he agreed.

* * *

"Just... put your feet up and relax. Please, sweetheart."

Elijah cupped her face with oven mitts and kissed her. Elena smirked as he pulled away to the sound of the timer going off. "You wear that apron well."

The corner of his mouth pulled up in a wry smile as he looked at her over his shoulder. He pulled steaks out of the oven, and the smell of the seasoned meat made her stomach growl. She ran her hand absently over the subtle roundness of her belly. She was starting to show, and it made her happy.

"I need to keep you well-fed," he said, tending to scalloped potatoes and steamed vegetables.

"Are you my sexy vampire husband or is there a grandmother lurking somewhere in there?" she giggled.

He gave her a mock-wounded glance. "Well, I apologize for caring about the well-being of you and our child..."

"And that's what I adore about you," she insisted, wrapping her arms around his shoulders.

Butterflies still floated through her stomach whenever he mentioned their child. It had been 12 weeks now, and she was finally starting to feel like herself again. The incapacitating exhaustion and vague sour stomach had finally passed, and she felt generally excellent. She could tell her vampire side was suppressed as her more human tendencies and limitations took its place. Not that she minded... it was a welcome break. But even if she did, hearing the baby's heartbeat at the last OB appointment would have made it more than worth it. The expression on Elijah's face... he had squeezed her hand, admitting to her later that he had heard it a couple of weeks before, listening to it while she slept one evening. But he was so elated. She was grateful that she could give this to him, after all he had done for her.

Elena kissed his cheek before letting go. "Are you sure I can't do anything? Set the table? Your brother and Caroline will be here soon, and I can't imagine Rebekah and David will be too far behind."

"If you insist," he sighed, but then he smiled again. "Are you nervous?"

She carefully set some dishes on the counter from the cabinet. "A little... what about you?"

"A bit, though I'm sure Rebekah will be overjoyed to hear Sarah has a cousin on the way."

"And Caroline will be banging down Bonnie's door whether Klaus is on board or not."

Elijah laughed. "I think you overestimate the amount of coercion that would be required. You _have_ noticed how tightly he's wrapped around her finger...?"

"Yes. And it's actually pretty endearing. It almost makes me forgive him for all the times he tried to kill me..." She counted the silverware she had laid out on the countertop and then put back the extras.

"Water under the bridge," he agreed.

"Something like that. Not like we haven't all done horrible things." She paused with the napkins in her hand. "I just keep wondering how we're going to explain all of this to a little kid."

He met her gaze, and she could see a kindred wistfulness there. While this was a blessing, a miracle... they wouldn't get the complete normalcy of the other parents they would encounter. They would always have to keep a bit of distance, especially as everyone else grew older and they didn't. "That's a worry for another day... or another year."

"Another decade?" she said, only half-joking.

"Maybe." He sighed as he rested his hands on her hips. "Look, there are ways to blend in. Or places where the supernatural are more accepted. We have options to try to be as open as possible. We will figure this out."

She nodded, and he kissed her forehead. She closed her eyes as they stood in the quiet before the storm. She knew deep down it would be okay. There were obstacles they would face even if they were human parents.

The doorbell rang. Elena cursed under her breath as she pulled away.

"We'll pick this up where we left off," Elijah reassured her. He gave her hand a light squeeze before he let go.

"Thanks," she said. Then she plastered a smile on her face and headed to the foyer.


End file.
